|| = || __ SEND IN YOUR COMMENTS
This is an important message from the RC874GQ group. Please read. This message is time sensitive – action is needed before March 20th.
It has been a while since we got in touch. So you know, we are working on finalizing a proposal for a Defence Fund for our Covenant group, and also on a response protocol for when we become aware of an application that goes against our covenant. We will keep you updated on those initiatives. We are hoping to have our next meeting the week of March 31.
BUT, we thought this picture is worth sharing urgently and what we should do about it.
The picture is an application that has been submitted to the city for a 10-unit development on a single lot at 2948 13th Avenue SW – NW corner of the intersection 13th and St-Andrews Place. The sandwich board is now up – go have a look. It is a massive development that will change the face of the neighborhood and set a precedent if allowed.
The lot unfortunately DOES NOT have a restrictive covenant, so we cannot fight the development using the covenant legal avenue. So the best way we can prevent the project from going ahead is if we individually file comments opposing the application through the city website. The more individual submissions we submit the better - it is more powerful than one submission signed by many.
We would encourage you (or actually beg you) given this unprecedented development, to act within the time to submit comments. Details on how to do that are below in this email. Also below are a suggested topics that you may want to touch on in your submission.
There is real urgency - comments have to be submitted prior to March 20th, so please do it soon.
To view the plans and to submit comments, click here:
https://dmap.calgary.ca/?p=DP2025-00910
To help you prepare your comments, we’ve provided a few tips below.
Contact us at this email if you need help.
Your RC874GQ group
Christiane, Francois, Karen and Terry
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To Prepare your comments
In your submission, there are several themes that you can cover — a list is below. Please use your own words to highlight the things that do worry you about the project, that pose a problem to our community, or that seem to violate practices that have been in use in the community. Distinct individual comments is what is desirable – so please no copy/paste.
Some themes to consider:
Parking – with only 5 parking spaces for 10 units, it is much less than is needed, not even counting visitor parking spaces. This will cause a significant problem with a large number of cars needing to be on the street, in a restricted or No parking areas.
Massing – the building is huge and occupies a very large portion of the lot. It is close to the sidewalk and visually invasive for residents and pedestrians. It is well beyond and clashes with what exists in the community. This is a tall 3-storey building, that cast shadows on neighbors, and where upper floor residents look down on the neighbors.
Setbacks – Historically, front and side setbacks (distance between buildings and edge of property) have been much larger. This creates a sense of crowding uncharacteristic for the neighborhood.
Safety – the large building is very close to the property line, it creates a safety issue by reducing visibility for street traffic in all directions. Increased traffic in the laneway will also be a safety issue, including visibility and difficult access and egress from garages in the narrow lane.
Lack of trees and green space – with such a large building a relatively small lot will leave very little greenery, this will be nothing like the tree and green cover the neighborhood is accustomed to have.
Property maintenance and snow shoveling – with so many tenants, will there be people accountable to do the work so that things get looked after? Will sidewalks not get shoveled?
Bins – with 10 units, there will be a large number of bins (garbage, recycling, compost) bins floating around the alley behind the property. This will probably be a mess and that could be a safety hazard and cause lane traffic issues.
Construction – this large project will take a long time to build, much longer than a smaller development. With 10 units, there will likely be a need for water/sewer/electrical utility upgrades with significant excavations. With no parking on 13th Avenue, and no room on the lot for equipment and materials staging, it will create a major disruption for an extended period of time.
Please do not bring up the topic of potential traffic volume issues in your comments. This could be used to re-open the concept by the city of opening 13th Avenue as a thru-going connector between University Drive and 29th Street.
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To submit your comments
You need to go online.
https://dmap.calgary.ca/?p=DP2025-00910
It will take you straight to the actual project.
And from there you click the link to “Share your Comments” so you can input your personal comments.
From the same location, you can also download project drawings.
Open the site, click on the Launch The Map icon. You then zoom into the house, and click on it.
From there you click the link to “Share your Comments” so you can input your personal comments.
If you have a problem, email us and we will help you.
sahrc874gq@gmail.com
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This content comes from homeowners in St Andrews Heights who are affected by the Restrictive Covenant 874GQ on their property titles. As this is a legal matter between homeowners, the SAH Community Association is not involved. However, because of the interest in this (and related) topics by community residents, SAHCA has agreed to share information with residents through their communication channels. For more information, please contact: François Langlois (sahrc874gq@gmail.com)
